Surprised by the Joyful Mysteries

They taught me how to say yes.

By: Beth Dotson Brown

For years I fingered my rosary at night when I couldn't sleep, repeating my childhood prayers without thinking much about their meaning.

I wasn’t even fully aware of the “mysteries” I was supposed to be meditating on; I just wanted the mantra to lull me into slumber.

Then Mary started becoming more apparent in my life. There was no one spectacular “sighting” of the Blessed Mother; she just started showing up in prayers from friends, artwork I admired, and the new rosary my husband gave me. Assuming Jesus was trying to steer me to his mother, I delved more intentionally into what the rosary has to offer. From the start, the Joyful Mysteries became my favorite.

I didn’t know it then, but this journey of discovery was a preparation. God was giving me a support that would sustain me through a challenging period —one in which suffering and creativity came together in a way I could never have expected. Here is…

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